An Email Forward Worth Reading

Father sent me these over the weekend and it’s an email forward that is actually worth your time. It is a very fascinating and captivating read about four major transformations that are shaping our political, economic, and world events. They are the war in Iraq, the emergence of China, the shifting demographics of western civilization, and the restructuring of American business. These transformations will have profound impacts on our culture and our way of life over the next several decades.

About the author:
Herb Meyer served during the Reagan administration as special assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence and Vice Chairman of the CIA’s National Intelligence Council. In these positions, he managed production of the U.S. National Intelligence Estimates and other top-secret projections for the President and his national security advisers. Meyer is widely credited with being the first senior U.S. Government official to forecast the Soviet Union’s collapse, for which he later was awarded the U.S. National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the intelligence community’s highest honor. Formerly an associate editor of FORTUNE, he is also the author of several books.

Here is a brief excerpt. It’s about the shifting demographics of western societies. You can read the full briefing here.

Most countries in the Western world have stopped breeding. For a civilization obsessed with sex, this is remarkable. Maintaining a steady population requires a birth rate of 2.1. In Western Europe, the birth rate currently stands at 1.5, or 30 percent below replacement. In 30 years there will be 70 to 80 million fewer Europeans than there are today. The current birth rate in Germany is 1.3. Italy and Spain are even lower at 1.2. At that rate, the working age population declines by 30 percent in 20 years, which has a huge impact on the economy. The Europeans simply don’t wish to have children, so they are dying.

The author also talks about similar birth rate issues with Russia, Japan, the US, and the implications these trends will have on the future of these countries. And we aren’t talking some distant future 100+ years out. There will be some serious problems if these trends continue in 20-30 years. The rest of the briefing is equally as enthralling and thought provoking. Take 10 minutes and read it over.